TWILIGHT: THE REWRITE
by Deezmartini
Summary: A rewrite of the Twilight series.
1. Chapter 1 TWilight

Bella squinted as sweat dripped from her dark brown hair and into her eyes. Her legs were flexed, and she balanced on the balls of her feet as she raised gloved fists above her eyes. The punching bag swung lazily in her field of vision, the chains linking it to her basement's ceiling clinking in time with the beats of her heart.

_One, two. _

She punched the bag in a succession of that easy combination, grunting as she turned her body into each blow. Her calves burned as they strained in the exercise, her back shiny and slick with the results of her exertion. Her brown eyes narrowed as she landed another blow to the bag, swinging hard now as it bounced between her fists.

_One, two, three. _

She ended this combo with an uppercut, and the bag raised violently, the chains rattling as they jumped within their links. She dropped her tired arms and watched as the punching bad slowly went still, and the only sound now was that of her own body, filling her lungs with oxygen. She sighed and wiped her brow, pulling off her gloves and reaching for a towel that was draped on the rails of a stairway behind her. She took the towel and covered it with her face, then reaching for the bottle of water that was found next to the foot of the stairs. She pulled the towel away from her mouth and drank deeply, screwing the cap back on to the water bottle tightly after she had finished.

_Monday. _ She gathered her towel and water, marching up the stairs on tired legs. She opened the door that led her from the basement and into the main-floor level hallway of her father's house. If she went left, she would find the kitchen and from there the living room. Right brought her to another set of stairs that trailed to the second story, where her room was found. The smells of breakfast wafted across her nose, pancakes and eggs and bacon, while coffee bubbled noisily.

"Isabella? Is that you?" her father called from the kitchen, over the sound of hissing stoves and clashing pans.

"No" She answered, and her dad laughed. She heard him walk from the kitchen and into the hallway, where she waited with her arms crossed.

"Jackass." He smiled, throwing a washcloth at her. She giggled, catching and throwing it back at him. He moved away, and it landed cleanly in the sink.

"There's breakfast if you're interested." He said, returning to the kitchen. She nodded, turning towards the stairs. Climbing up the fleet of steps fast, she walked across another hallway, white walls and doors to her right while to her left all that was there was tall railing, across from which was the main wall of the house, and between that there was nothing, just empty air until the ground floor was reached. She could see her front floor from here, and even snippets of the green lawn that teased from the door's square glass windows. She went into her room, a plain abode, with blue walls, a bed, and a TV. On her bed waited the things she would need today: Clothing for school, her backpack, and her ipod. She took the clothes, skipping from her room and to the door of the bathroom.

"Oh no." She heard suddenly. Bella turned, and saw her half-brother Allen standing before her, toothbrush in hand. He grimaced.

"I woke up early so I could shower before you." He sighed, and Bella smiled.

"I know. I woke up earlier than usual." She said with mischievous eyes. Allen shrugged.

"I wasn't planning on showering today anyway." He said, and sauntered back into his room. Bella entered the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She looked at herself in the mirror, same as she did every morning. She wore a loose tank top and leggings cut into gym-shorts.

"My boobs are too small." She said to herself, felling the tiny bumps that were more muscle than anything. She had good hips, however, being somewhat bottom heavy despite the fact she exercised daily. She laughed quietly, pulling her clothing off and starting the shower. She bathed, brushed, and combed her hair, finally dressing in her clothes : A red shirt with a black hoodie, and a pair of slim-fit jeans. She left the bathroom, taking her dirty clothes and towel, and put it in the washroom that was nothing more than a cramped closet behind the bathroom, where a economical dryer and washer were found.

Bella went back into her room, putting on her basketball shoes and placing her ipod in the pocket of her hoodie, wrapping the cords of her small earphones around her neck as she pulled the straps of her backpack over her shoulders. She went back downstairs, moving through the kitchen and to the dining table, which was in the living room, in front of the family couch that sat on a separated area of white carpet and various other seating furniture.

Allan was stuffing his face with pancakes, a large glass of milk beside him. Bella sat next to him, a plate already ready for her.

"You smell. You can still shower, y'know." She said matter-of-factly as she poured orange juice into her glass. Her dad laughed at that, but shook his head.

"Hey! Don't be mean to your brother. But on that note, Allan . . . you could use some soap."

Allan nodded.

"I could. But this is part of my personal protest against this draconian school system." He said as he reached for another pancake. Bella's father slapped his hand with a table-knife.

"Fork," He reminded. Allen frowned, and used his fork to stab two pancakes and place them on his plate. He doused them with syrup, and began to eat.

"It's not fair. I shouldn't have to retake Algebra." He said as he chewed.

Bella smiled as her father looked at Allan, an irritated look on his face.

"You _failed." _

"By five points! I can't believe she couldn't just round up my grade. Some math teacher she is." He said, and Bella laughed out loud over her plate.

"In real life you can't just _round _things, stupid." She teased. Allan moaned.

"I _hate _math. I hate it."

Bella looked at her half-finished breakfast, and then at the clock.

_Seven twenty eight. _

"Crap. I've gotta make the bus. Thanks for the dinner dad." Bella said hurriedly, jumping from her seat.

"What time is it?" Allan asked, and then looked at the clock in the kitchen.

"Shit! See ya later, Charlie!" He called, bouncing from his chair and reaching for the door behind Bella.

"Allan, wait. Where's your backpack?" Charlie asked.

"At school."

"Didn't you have homework?"

Allan hesitated. "No . . . . . . yeah. I did."

Charlie put a hand over his face. "Have a good day you two. I'll see if I can pick you up after school."

Bella and Allan said goodbye to their dad, and then began the walk to the bus stop.

Forks, Washington. It was a quiet town, seemingly separated from the rest of the country. They walked on a sidewalk that was patrolled on both sides by houses, and they saw people getting ready to leave for work and other duties. Over the raised hill of their street, Bella saw the red paint of the stopsign.

"Race you to the stop." She said. Allan grinned.

"You're on." He challenged, sprinting ahead. Bella smirked as she watched him. He'd burn out soon.

She leaned into the pavement and then burst ahead, her legs flickering as she ran. The weight of her backpack was forgotten as she picked up speed, gaining and then passing Allan, who swore and broke his run. She jogged triumphantly towards the stop, turning as she saw Allan languidly follow her stead.

"You ran up a friggin hill and you aren't even sweating." He said, breathing heavily.

"It's called exercise. You should try it sometime."

"What number is it on the Taco Bell menu?" he joked, and Bella jostled him playfully.

The street they waited on was one-sided, nothing but the still-dark forest across from them. Beams of sunlight snaked through the large temperate canopy, giving the forest a haunting aura. Above them, the sky was clear, mostly, long lines of skinny clouds hugging the azure heavens. Even in the morning, Bella could still see the moon, large and white, behind a veil of blue.

"here it comes. The _death vehicle." _Allan commented, and Bella saw it soon enough. Outside, it was simple. A yellow bus with the name of her high school written on the side of it in black font. But inside . . a mess of youths were cramped, each one adhering to the bus caste-system. The "cool" kids sat in back, joking and mocking and texting. In the middle, the underclassmen ruled, occupied with their juvenile amusements. In the front end, the seats were sparsely occupied. Students would rather seat two and three and sometimes to the bus driver's chagrin, four to a seat as opposed to sitting in the front. The bus came, stopping as the bus' own stop sign flipped into view.

"Ah. I wonder what amusements will wait for us on the bus today." Bella said as she climbed the stairs that lead into the vehicle. As she popped over the sides of the gray seats, someone from the back called her name.

"BELLA! NICE ASS!" they crowed, and the bus erupted in laughter. She gave whoever it was the finger, and slid into a vacant seat right behind the bus driver.

Monday.


	2. Chapter 2

Bella thrummed her fingers on the silver desk that stood above her thighs. Her chair was crooked, and every time she shifted her position, it squeaked. A dozen students surrounded her, all of them bored, playing with pencils, drawing, and some even texted while their teacher droned on. They had a substitute today, and currently the man was speaking of why it would do them no good to goof off just because he wasn't their regular teacher.

"I have a list," He said, pushing his glasses against his eyes as sweat beaded on his large forehead. He wore a dress shirt with a gray vest, and khaki pants that clashed with his bright blue penny loafers.

"And on this list, anyone who wants to be funny will find their name on it. Your teacher will see this list when she comes back, and she _will _punish you accordingly." He said. Smiling, he sat down at the teacher's desk, shifting through papers.

"He looks like a chicken." Ezra Tudor whispered behind her. Bella smiled, and he poked her with the eraser of his pencil. She sighed, turning around and removing the one headphone that had been hidden in her left ear.

"What's up?"

"Jacob wants to hang out today. Are you free?" He asked. Bella had been hoping he would bring that up. She didn't want to go home too early today, not with her step-mother returning from a business trip. The woman was as barren as she was rude, a blonde and vapid female with vanity coursing through her veins.

"Yeah. I'll tell my dad." She said, turning around back to the front of her desk. Ezra jabbed her again, and she rolled her eyes as she rotated, yet again, the squeak of her chair especially loud.

"Jacob has some new leads." Ezra said quietly, sliding her a piece of paper that looked as if it had been folded a dozen times. Bella nodded and took the note, putting it in her pocket.

"Excuse me, miss. What was that exchange?" Their teacher suddenly blurted. Bella looked around, until she noticed all of her classmates were staring at _her. _She put on her best face, widening her eyes.

"Me?" She asked innocently. The teacher _tsked. _

"I know a drug deal when I see one. I used to teach in the inner cities, you know. No respect there, none. I tell you." He began to walk towards her desk, his long legs _did _make him look like a chicken.

"Are you kidding? Who sells drugs in History?" She said, abashed. Laughter sprung from every inch of the class, and their substitute reddened.

"Ah, a funny girl. Well, we'll see how funny you are after the truth comes spilling out. Give it to me."

Bella froze.

"What?" She asked, protectively reaching into her pocket and pressing against the note.

"You heard me. Let's see it. If you aren't dealing, then it is no problem. You too, mister. What's your name?" He said, nodding his head towards Ezra.

"Luke Skywalker." He retorted, and a gush of laughter splashed over the classroom yet again.

"Let me see it or else you'll both be staying after school for detention." He threatened as the laughter died down. Bella began to thrum her desk again. Detention meant a phone call home, which meant _step-mom-bitch _would know, and use it against her as leverage. She reached into her pocket, pulling the note free.

"Bella, no" Ezra whispered, but she shrugged and gave the sub her note. He clicked his tongue as he unwrapped the paper, and Bella could see dark scribbles on the back of the page. His eyes read and re-read, pursing his lips with each line. Finally he gave her back the paper.

"Vampires in Forks. What is this?"

"Just some research for our creative comp class." Ezra lied. The substitute smiled wanly.

"Well, I guess it is better than hash. Though I wish children would go back to the classics. Vampires . . . bah. Nonsense." He said with a wave of his hand.

"Vampires are _older _than the classics." Ezra responded, and their sub simply laughed.

"It is good to see someone so driven by his imagination. Enough of that. Who's ready to learn about one of the greatest generals of our short human history . . . Hannibal of Carthage?"

There was a collective groan then, Bella included. The sub's 'teaching' amounted to playing a cheaply animated video telling of Hannibal's exploits. The Carthaginian had almost defeated Rome, but at the last moment his senators betrayed him, fearing that he would name himself King once the war was over. Hannibal was defeated, and Carthage never truly recovered. After the video, the sub passed out homework sheets, questions about what they had just watched. As Bella put the worksheet in her bag, the bell rang.

"Don't think Mrs. Schuzler won't ask for these tomorrow!" he called as they funneled into the hallways. Bella hadn't gone two steps before Ezra bumped into her, giddy with excitement.

"That was _so _close. I can't get a detention this early in the year." He said. Bella realized she was still holding the notepaper. She flapped it before her face, looking at what her teacher saw. Ezra clasped her on the shoulder.

"After school, don't forget!" He said as he rushed to his locker. Bella nodded, reading the paper. Jacob's scribblings made her smile, but it was what he wrote that interested her.

_Rome was home to the earliest Vampire Covens, Pictish, Brythonic Goidelic societies seeping into the Empire from England and Ireland. Many of these Covens established Latin-based clans within Rome, and through there, the rest of the world, even the Middle East. _Bella continued to read, scanning through Jacob's pictures of maps and artistic renderings of Vampires. Lines traced from the British Isles to Rome, and from there they bounced to Russia, North Africa, and even Turkey. It was the next section that intrigued her the most.

_The names of the Covens had similar effects as the names of royal Houses in medieval society. For a Vampire, their coven name designated not only the territory they ruled but the strength they possessed. Their names changed over the centuries, but the root sound remains the same. _Jacob listed various names, and as Bella read, the bell rang. She swore, rushing to her next class. The halls were crowded, students taking no heed of the sound that signaled them. She brushed past teachers and teenagers alike, finally arriving at her classroom.

Algebra II. She liked math. It was simple for her. Numbers were what they were, numbers. No double meaning, no hidden message. She weaved through occupied desks before finding her seat. As she did so, she returned her eyes to the paper.

_Vampire Coven Names (Working list) _

_Deich_

_Aonculich_

_Naoise_

_Slaynti_

_Manyath_

_Geychel_

As Bella reached the last name on the list, her heat missed a beat as their math teacher greeted them.

_Coulenan=CULLEN? _

The surnames did sound similar, and Bella found herself thinking of the sulky youth they had seen walking about Forks. What had started as a joke led to an actual investigation, as tribe members of Jacob's complained about livestock that had been drained of blood.

"Vampires have always been in America." He had told them, and now Bella wondered . . .

"Bella, put that away. I'm about to pass out the test."

_Great. _

Bella put the notepage into a sleeve of her backpack, wondering about the identity of the boy that had moved here recently, around the same time she had.

_Coulenan_…


	3. Chapter 3

There was a hiss as Ezra opened a can of soda. Jacob jerked up from his lap, his glasses falling onto the notepad that sat below him on his legs. His long raven-dark hair was tied behind his neck, and acne peppered his forehead and cheeks. He was the color of light bark, a clue to his Native American heritage. Bella looked behind herself, finding a grinning Ezra sitting in the back seat.

"Another soda?" She asked as he gulped down the drink.

"Yes, another." He said, sticking out his tongue. Jacob turned on his car, the old engine rattling, and then roaring to life.

"Guys, focus." He said, annoyed. He had a grim way to himself, a person who had little time for jokes or games. The fact that he took the possible vampires so seriously made Bella wonder about the truth of it. They couldn't exist… could they? Yet Jacob was _so _convinced. Even Ezra was. The two boys had both been taking about the note Jacob had written for them, and had been aghast when Bella admitted that she had only read a portion of it. Jacob placed the notepad on the dashboard, and then wheeled out of the school's parking lot. The road that lead to and from the school was found on an inclined hill, and they sped up steadily as Jacob drove down it. The trees were turning orange and red, and out in the field various school teams practiced their sports as groups of teenagers walked down the school sidewalk and to the neighboring library.

"What's your problem?" Ezra asked as he finished his cola. Jacob seemed to grip the wheel tighter as he drove.

"There was another killing. A sheep. Drained clean." He said between clenched teeth. Bella felt herself tighten. Vampires . . .

"How do you know this is a Vampire? Why would they be so blatant?" Bella asked. Jacob shrugged as his glasses slid to the bridge of his nose.

"I know. There is no animal that leaves corpses dry of blood. And as to your second question, it only means one thing: Either we are dealing with a coven that for whatever reason refuses to drink human blood, or there may be a rouge Vampire lurking around here."

"Why would a rogue Vampire waste time with animals?" Ezra chirped, and Bella silently agreed with his question.

"Because this isn't 1730. He would end up drawing too much attention to himself, unless he picked a perfect target that could be feasted on, disposed of, and then have enough time to flee. The fact that whatever Vampire is doing this to my tribe's livestock means that it is not only close by, but desperate. It doesn't even bother to bury or hide the bodies. A lack of good blood makes them go feral after a time."

Bella shivered.

"_Good _blood?" She questioned.

Jacob smiled as a car went blaring past them, Jacob driving too far into the left lane. He pushed his glasses back up to his eyes, and continued.

"I've been feeding our cows, sheep, and chickens food with traces of garlic. Normally, animal blood is almost as hearty for a vampire as human, but not blood enriched by garlic powder. Garlic naturally drains nutrients from vampires, and enough of it could even poison the creatures. But small amounts work well enough. Our Vampire is weakened, which means they won't be able to move far from wherever they hide. Also, it means that they cannot last long in the sun."

"So you still think it is the Cullen family?" Ezra pressured. Jacob licked his lips.

"Most likely."

The roads of Forks went wider as they drove, and soon enough, the numerous houses dwindled as they entered a more rural area. Trees preparing for winter stood vigil in the woods on either side of the road. Old rocks were piled randomly in the wood, leftovers from colonial days, where settlers often made boundaries of their territories. They drove past a small wooded stream, nearly dry, save for a few gallons of muddied water that slugged ahead.

"So, according to your logic, the entire family must be all messed up by now." Bella stated.

"I think. I haven't seen them as much as I usually do. Of course, they could be acting reclusive. Either way, we'll find out today."

Bella was intrigued.

"How?" She said, curiously.

Ezra laughed, and Jacob sighed deeply, not answering her for a few moments. Finally, he took his brown eyes off the road and looked at her directly.

"I'm . . . going to break into their home."

"_What?"_ Bella sat up in her chair.

"You can't be serious."

"Oh, he's serious. You should have heard him in English today." Ezra said from behind.

"Okay, that is crazy, Jacob. Even you know that." She tried to reason with him.

"What do you think will happen? That'll you'll bust the door open, and find the Cullens with mouths covered in blood, and then they'll raise their arms and say '_Oh yeah, you caught us, we're vampires. Take us away'? _You don't need to do this."

Jacob furrowed his brows as he drove.

"I do."

"No, you don't."

"You don't understand. It is my duty."

Bella chortled. "_Duty? _According to who?"

Jacob went around another curve, everyone in the car leaning to the right as he did so.

"You wouldn't understand. Just . . . I don't know. You don't have to come." He sounded sad.

Bella leaned her head back on the seat of Jacob's car.

"No . . . I'll come. It's just . . ." She trailed off, looking outside her window as Jacob drove ahead silently.

They were passing through farm fields now, corn ready to harvest as green stalks stood almost as tall as children. Ezra opened another soda, the sound of the can hissing as it was punched open filling the car. They were close to Jacob's reservation, which meant that they were also close to the Cullens. Bella felt herself tensing. She remembered Jacob's notes, the resemblances between the two names . . .

They passed over yet another bridge, so fast that Bella almost didn't see the young girl darting across. She glanced up a second time, Jacob being so focused on his own thoughts he was unaware of what his eyes were telling him.

"Jacob! STOP!" she screamed, but it was too late. The girl was inches away from the grill of Jacob's car, turning just in time for Bella to see her eyes grow wide with fear. Jacob slammed on the brakes, and Ezra crashed into Bella's back seat. They skidded to a halt, Bella unstrapping her seatbelt and jumping out of the front seat. She landed on the old road with a _thud, _running to the bridge . . .

The road was clear. She heard Ezra and Jacob come out behind her, and they saw the same thing. They all stood silently, not knowing whether to be afraid or thankful. Suddenly, Bella noticed the girl sitting by the railing of the bridge. Next to her, a lanky youth stood, long brown hair reaching to the bottom of his ears. He held a fishing rod, and languidly leaned over the bridge, reeling at the rod, casting, and reeling again.

"Dude . . ." Ezra whispered, and Jacob stomped off ahead of them.

_Shit. _

Bella hurried to catch up, and as all three rushed at them, the girl tugged at the boy's loose jeans. He glanced over languidly, and gave them an easy smile. He was not handsome, but there was a striking factor about his face, something strange and foreign. The only thing truly attractive about him was his dimples, which were sharp and deep. Bella noticed that there was a hat tied to his neck, which had blended in with his dark shirt from a distance.

"Can I help you?" He said, turning his attention back to his fishing once Bella and her friends had reached a conversational distance.

"How did you do that?" Jacob demanded.

"Well," The youth began. "First you need to find some bait . . ."

"_Not_ the fishing!" Ezra threatened, taking up a mock karate stance. Bella had to smile despite herself.

_Such a freshman. _

"Well, you're going to need to be more clear, because I have no idea what you are talking about." He said easily.

"Let's just go find another spot, Edward." The girl said. She looked like she was thirteen or twelve.

"Yeah, I agree with that. Place is dead anyway. Hate to waste a worm though." Edward moaned.

Edward reeled his fishing line back to the pole, hooked his bait on one of the rings lining the rod, and leaned over to pick up his bag of fishing supplies. The girl stood with him, brushing herself off with small hands. As Edward moved, Jacob stepped in his way. Jacob was taller, and had a slightly larger build.

"You know, you make a _great _wall . . ." Edward said. Jacob didn't move aside or flinch.

"How did you save that girl? There was no way you could move that fast."

"I'm Jesus." Edward retorted, and Ezra giggled. Jacob glared back at him, causing Ezra to cough and resume his faux-karate stance.

"He . . . he didn't save me." The girl said suddenly, her voice quiet.

"What?" Jacob asked, eyes still trained on Edward. She walked to him, shaking.

" I . . . I fell to the ground. Your car . . . it passed over me . . ." she said, pulling up her sleeves to reveal her skin, which was dirtied and scratched. Jacob opened his mouth in an O, and faltered, long enough for Edward to pass by him, his fishing pole swinging on his shoulder. The girl took up step with him, looking back at Bella and the rest. Jacob watched them walk down the street, his eyes fixed on Edward's back.

"Jacob . . ." Bella started, but he shook his head.

"It's him. I _know _it's him."

"Dude, what the girl said is crazy, but it makes sense. You saw how small she was."

"No, there was something else. Maybe-"

"What, she's a Vampire?" Ezra retorted.

Jacob furrowed his brows as he rotated to look at Ezra.

"When he put his baitbox in that bag of his, I saw the name on it. It said _Cullen." _

Ezra shrugged. "So what? He fishes here sometimes."

"Still . . . "

"There isn't enough evidence, Jacob." Bella said softly. Jacob was silent, but finally he strode back to the car. Ezra and Bella exchanged glances, but followed. Once inside, Jacob sat in the driver's seat, flipping through his notebook. Finally he looked up, starting his car in the process.

"I'll drop you guys off. Thanks for the help." He said with finality, and he turned on the wide road, traveling over the bridge where he had nearly killed a young girl.


	4. Chapter 4

Bella laid on her bed, a hand covering her face. Downstairs, she heard the bitch screaming at Charlie. Something about money, like it always was. His responses were quiet but strong, however, no matter what he said she didn't seem convinced. That thought was just a distraction, though. She was worried.

_Jacob. _

She sat up in her bed, curling her legs close to her body, and wrapping her arms around them.

_Shit. _

She saw the girl again, those wide eyes.

_Shit. _

She saw the car, saw the girl as she vanished. Bella flopped back down on her bed, sighing loudly.

"_Shit." _She whispered. She had texted Jacob, but he never responded. Regardless of what he thought, he had to know that breaking into the Cullen's home was madness. And yet . . . that girl . . .

"She slid underneath the car. That's what she said. She had scrapes on her arms." Bella reasoned with herself, but she couldn't convince that nagging part of her brain.

_Or that Cullen boy used his powers to save her. Cullen. _

_Coulenan. Cullen. Coulenan. Cullen. Coule-_

_STOP. _

Her head throbbed, and she sat back up in her bed. The argument downstairs reached a climax, the shrill voice of the she-bitch reaching an all-time high as something crashed against the floor. Her father did raise his voice now, this time in an unbelieving tone. They were muted, and Bella couldn't figure what they were saying. After a moment, she decided that she didn't want to know.

_I don't want to know. I don't want to know anything. _

Yet she found herself her upper body over the edge of her bed, her shorts rising up on her buttocks as she leaned over, moving her blankets away and pulling the small laptop from underneath her mattress. She righted herself as she lifted the computer in the air, hopping on her bed as she curled toned legs underneath herself. Opening the laptop, she saw herself looking at her last search: A dress for the October formal. She smiled. As if she would go to that.

Bella clicked on the search bar and typed in her query: ANGLO-ROMAN VAMPIRES? Bella pressed enter, and waited a precious three seconds until her search was returned. There were a multitude of sites to choose from. She clicked on links randomly, reading the first few lines and then retreating back to the search page, unsatisfied. It took nearly twenty minutes until she found a site that held her attention.

It was called _Verum, _and it had tabs to various taboo subjects. Terrorism led by the US, corruption in the White House . . . all of them having some supernatural link, judging from the morbid titles. It was then she found the site's page on vampires. She clicked on the tab, and was presented with a graphic portrayal of some Scottish art, deformed-looking humans fleeing from a being with frayed red hair and fangs dripping with blood.

Underneath the image, it read: _The truth lies in the art. _

Intrigued, Bella went forward, scrolling down.

_It is often said that Man is the only animal without a natural predator. At first glance, this may seem true. Aside from the random mauling from some beast, some bear or wolf, the only threat man faces is himself. War, murder, genocide . . . all of these things stem from man-enforced vices and violence. The world is awash with blood. But, _

Bella rolled her eyes. There was always a dramatic _but. _The word reminded her of what the boys on the bus had said to her this morning. She frowned and returned to the writing on the screen.

_Men do have natural predators. Vampires. They have many names, varying abilities and weaknesses depending on the culture you focus on related to them. Still, similar stories spread across the globe, from Europe to Asia, Africa to all of the Americas and her islands. Human-like creatures who fed on humans. For the sake of understanding, this article will simply call these creatures: Vampires. However, as previously stated, they have many names. _

Bella paused, and blinked her eyes as she began a new section.

_THE BEGINNING_

_Vampires seemed to have come from the northern parts of Europe, mixing into the customs of early Viking and Norse societies. They expanded across the seas, reaching the British isles. They brought with them many practices, namely, human and animal sacrifice. The name of the most notorious of these Vampires was Sayaman, or more commonly known as Samhain. In his new kingdom in the cold north of the isles, he popularized the sacrifice of humans and livestock, to fuel his own body as winter years this continued, well into the establishment of the Roman Empire. It was then that Vampirism exploded. _

_The mainly Celtic and Germanic Vampire covens infiltrated Roman society, starting many Latin-based covens of their own. As the Empire spread, so did the Vampires, reaching new territory in Africa, the middle east, and even faraway Asia. In Europe, it was a silent war. Many refused to believe the existence of the beings, even when the proof was right before their eyes. However, in America, it was a different story. Vikings had reached the Americas far before Columbus. With them, they brought Vampires. The Vampires and Native Americans raged a bitter war, but not before some of them copulated, creating mix-breed offspring with strange gifts. (SEE SKINCHANGERS). _

Bella's mouse hovered over the blue hyperlinked word, but decided against it. Another time. She read on.

_Once more extensive European explorers reached the Americas, the large Native American civilization had already been reduced to a mere third of its strength, due to the oppressive war the Vampires raged on them. By that time, many of the Vampires had already established covens within America, and watched greedily as more flesh came fleeing from Britain, which was also afflicted with Vampirism. It should be noted that one has to respect Native American resilience: Despite great losses, they still had a large population, in the millions to the very least. They were able to resist the Vampires and survive colonization. It is for that reason that many Native American tribes who still hold to the old ways-_

Bella's door swung open, and she slammed her computer shut. Allen strode in, a plate in his hand. He looked at her with wide eyes.

"if you're gonna do that, lock the door." He said. Bella forced herself to smile as he handed her the plate, covered with food. Pasta. With blood-red sauce.

"Dinner." Allen said as the smell of Charlie's cooking wafted up into her nostrils.

"Thanks." She said shortly but thankfully. Allen nodded, waving his hand, leaving her room and shutting her door softly. He was sweet. And she was hungry. She placed the plate on the surface of her laptop, thinking about what she had read as she ate, not reassured by any of the information.

_Be careful Jacob. _

_Please. _


	5. Chapter 5

"You will have one week."

There was a collective groan across the large classroom as Mr. Thurman smiled broadly, leaning on his black desk.

"One week to write a two-thousand word essay about the modern state of violence in America."

Bella laid her head on her desk. She already had so much homework . . . might as well add another assignment to the pile. Beside her, Jacob raised his hand, his ebony eyes shining.

"One week. Are you counting the weekend?" He asked. Mr Thurman thought for a moment, stroking his thin chin as he looked up to the ceiling. The classroom was silent as all of the students waited anxiously, desperate to hear is answer.

"No, I suppose I won't count the weekend. Which means I want this paper by _next _Friday. A proper essay, mind you. I want paragraphs, a starting thesis and a thoughtful conclusion. Good work, is what I want. You're Sophomores, you should be able to handle it."

Bella glanced at Jacob, who was furiously writing in his notebook. She leaned over slightly and jabbed him with her pencil. He jolted, but looked up at her nonetheless.

"Did you . . .?" Bella asked. She had wanted to inquire earlier, but time and unforeseen occurrences prevented that from happening. Jacob had been leaving early all week, effectively skipping last period. His backpack bulged from all of the makeup work he was assigned.

"No. One of my village elders found out . . . he prevented me from going."

Bella had to suppress a smile- She was glad. She didn't want Jacob finding himself in a dangerous situation, one that might cost him dearly. She didn't believe the Cullen boy was a Vampire, not truly, but she did know that if Jacob had broken into the Cullen residence, He would have been caught and arrested.

"Did they say anything else?" She pressured as Mr. Thurman passed out the essay question papers.

"They believe that my research may have some merit. I gave them everything I have gathered and more, and they do believe that Vampires are within Forks."

Bella felt her heart stop, but she touched her heart slightly, controlling herself. A few superstitious old men sharing Jacob's fears meant nothing . . . and yet . . . Bella found herself remembering the information she had gleaned from Verum.

Coulenan. Cullen.

"Bella, is something wrong?" Mr. Thurman asked as he handed her the paper.

"No, Mr. Thurman. I'm just a little tired." She said with a weak smile, and he nodded busily as he weaved between the forest of desks.

"That boy . . ." Jacob began, and Bella found herself thinking of the pale, long haired youth. What was his name again? Edward?

"I know it is him. There's no way that girl could have-"

Bella interrupted him softly. "She said she fell to the ground. That the car passed over her."

"But then how did she safely get to the other side of the road so fast? I would have been disoriented. And why did she look so calm? Yes, she had scrapes on her arms but . . . perhaps that was from him _dragging _her."

Bella sat back in her seat, folding her arms across her small breasts.

"If he _is _a Vampire, then why is he hanging around a human girl?"

Jacob bit his lip, black hair falling over his forehead.

"I don't know . . . maybe . . ."

"What? He _feeds_ on her? She seemed to trust him. She was asking him to take her away. And if he did, wouldn't she turn?"

Jacob repositioned his glasses.

"Not necessarily . . ." Bella leaned forward, giving Jacob a patient smile.

"There isn't enough evidence-"

"There is enough!" Jacob roared suddenly, slamming his fist on the wooden desk. There was a splinter of sound, and Bella recoiled as Jacob lifted his hand, cracks on the surface. The classroom was silent, and Jacob looked about himself, his face still.

"Jacob . . ." Bella began, reaching for him. He shrugged her hand away, and stood from his desk, slinging his backpack onto his shoulder.

"Mr. Harjo, please, there's still twenty minutes of class-"

Jacob brushed by their teacher, nearly knocking him over. He stormed out of the class, and Bella heard his footsteps as they faded down the hallway.

"Well then. He'll enjoy a nice demerit come Monday."

School ended without incident after Jacob left. Bella boarded the bus, as usual, seated in the front, as usual, and she allowed herself to drift into thought as the bus rumbled on. Her ipod was playing, music blocking out all of the other conversation around her. Seated next to her was Allen, playing a game on his handheld.

He smelled like dirty laundry.

_What was wrong with Jacob?  
_Bella was troubled by his outburst. Jacob was outspoken, but he was also very calm. It was unlike him to explode like that.

_He trusted me, confided in me about the Vampires. I embarrassed him by what I said. Making it seem like he was crazy . . . _

_But isn't he? Vampires don't exist. _

Verum's article resurfaced in her mind. It was a hoax. All of it. If they were real, there would have been some kind of discovery, some announcement . . . but there was none. Vampires didn't exist. Whatever was hurting Jacob's animals was some type of . . .

_No animal drains blood from corpses. _

Maybe he's lying about the entire thing, then.

_Why would he lie? What does he have to gain?_

Perhaps he's just trying to convince himself by telling other people. He's overlooking something.

_Remember what the Verum said? 'The best predators are not those who spend hours stalking their prey through tall grass. The best hunters are those who can delude their prey into thinking that they are not being hunted, and that the threat to them does not exist. _

Bella hated her mind. She groaned and sat forward, laying a head on the soft mesh found on the back of a bus seat.

She wondered how Ezra was doing. She hadn't been able to speak to him either. They all just needed to hang out again, hang out and talk, sort this thing out. The bus slowed as it neared the entrance of Bella's street. Bella rose from her seat, and over the sound of music, she heard an eruption of laughter. Allen gave the kids in the back the finger, and followed Bella out of the bus. As they began walking down the street, she pulled her headphones out of her ears.

"What did they say?"

"Something about your butt."

_Of course._

EDWARD looked down at the body, two fang wounds puncturing the neck of the corpse. They were in the woods, and an abandoned cabin watching them solemnly as trees covered the afternoon sun.

"Whoever did this had gotten tired of animal blood." Emmett said carefully, stepping around the naked corpse gingerly. Edward rose from his knees, pulling his hoody closer around his thin torso.

"Do you know who it is?" Edward tried to identify the body. It was a woman, nearing her late thirties. She had blonde hair and bruises covering her body. Emmett shrugged.

"She's not from the reservation. That's for sure. It looks like what Carlisle said was true. The Indians had been poisoning their animals. Otherwise, who ever had feed on her wouldn't have made such a messy job of it. They didn't cover their tracks at all. If they had been feeding on poisoned animals, they were probably desperate for healthy blood. Desperate enough to kidnap a human."

Edward smiled.

"Smart."

"We might have to move again." Emmett announced.

"Why?"

"Why do you think? If the damn Indians are poisoning their animals, and a rogue Vampire is running around, things could get very bad for us. We have to go. I'm sure Carlisle would agree."

"He hasn't said anything?" Edward asked, his eyes again drawn to the dead body.

"No. But when we tell him about this . . ."

"Should we take the body?" Edward didn't think it was right, leaving it here, out in the wilderness.

"We should. It won't be long before-"

A growl and a roar finished Emmett's sentence. Edward sensed the attack before his eyes saw it.

"Duck!" He warned, but Emmett was faster, already on the ground. Edward himself was pushed to the forest floor, muscled and hairy arms pining him to the dirt and leaf-covered ground. The werewolf snarled and snapped at Edward's neck, and he hissed, baring fangs and pushing the creature off of himself. It jumped from him to Emmett, who pulled a katana from the sheath that hung from his back. The werewolf's yellow eyes danced between Edward and Emmett, and it opened its mouth.

"Who was she?" it asked, the voice of the creature little more than a roar. It stood taller than an average man, with arms corded and bulging with muscle, and bowed legs that pumped with blood-filled calves.

"We didn't kill her." Edward answered, moving around the werewolf and towards Emmett.

"YOU'RE LYING!" it snarled, pouncing at Edward. He raised his hands in defense, but before the werewolf's claws cut him, Emmett was there, his blade shining with blood as the werewolf fell back, a large gash from elbow to stomach staining black fur. Emmett pointed the blade at the beast.

"We're innocent. We were doing research. There's a Vampire around here, and it isn't us. You can't smell Vampires, but you _can _smell if one has feasted on human blood."

That seemed to make the werewolf think, and it relaxed its stance. Edward watched with amazement as the fresh wound Emmett had given it stitched itself together, healing with a hissing sound as smoke rose from the closing gash. Emmett's sword still dripped blood, and the sight of it made Edward hungry.

He hadn't eaten in days.

"Go. We will deal with your kind later." The werewolf snarled and jumped into a high tree, and then swung branch to branch, dwindling from their sight as quickly as it had come. Emmett flipped the edge of his katana near his face and licked the dripping blood away from the clear blade.

"That was interesting." He said casually. Emmett sheathed his katana with a flourish, and he and Edward left the forest, returning home, which may not remain such for much longer.


	6. Chapter 6

"Here, Dad."

Bella handed her father a cold soda, the wetness of it numbing her hands as Charlie took it from her. He sat on their wide couch in the living room, Allen sitting on the loveseat, opposite from them. The family phone was in Charlie's lap, and after he opened his soda and took a half-hearted sip, he placed the drink on the polished wood table that stood three feet across from him on the carpeted floor.

Bella's step mom had gone missing. She lingered in the room, unsure of what to do as Allen and Charlie sat quietly, both of them wearing gloomy masks of sadness. The news was on, and after several reports, a newswoman began speaking of Bella's stepmom.

"JESSICA SWAN has gone missing today, reported by her husband, Charlie Swan of Forks. He reports that she did not come home at her regular time, and that she was not responding to his calls. She is 5'5, with dyed blonde hair and . . ."

The t.v went black as Bella's eyes fixed on Charlie, his hands wrapped around the remote. He trembled slightly, and Allen got up, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Dad . . ." He said, not knowing what to say. Bella's heart tugged at Charlie's face, tears crawling down his cheeks as he swallowed, nodding heavily to Allen. Allen began to cry as well, shuddering as big sobs came scratching up from his throat.

_This is too much. _

Bella ran upstairs, jogging into her room, slamming her door, and flopping on her bed. She was hungry, but she didn't care. She couldn't be around them. Somehow, for some reason, she felt guilty.

Bella never liked Jessica. She was, in all seriousness, a massive bitch. Greedy, proud, and prone to cause divisions. When Bella had moved in with them she instantly cornered her, making her feel not home and as an outsider at every chance she got. As Allen warmed towards Bella and as Charlie pulled the two kids closer together, Jessica turned on him next, fighting him for no reason and more often than not screaming her head off while Charlie looked at her, aghast as to what he said or did.

But even so, she had been _around, _visible at all times, even if she was off on work assignment. She had always-

A knock on Bella's door interrupted her thoughts. Sighing, she rose from her bed and opened it, surprised to see Jacob standing over her, his face un-readable.

"Jacob, How did you-"

Jacob shifted his glasses. "Your dad let me in. Can I?" He said, motioning towards her nodded, making way for him to enter.

"Yeah, sit down. Are you hungry?" She asked as her own stomach rumbled.

"No . . . I'm fine. Bella, could you close the door?" He asked quietly. Bella looked at him, question in her eyes, but she complied, shutting the door softly as the sound of a sport's game dulled from downstairs. Jacob pulled out his phone as he sat down on her bed, looking at Bella and his phone simultaneously.

"You should sit down." He said softly. Again, Bella opened her mouth to question him, but she did as she was told, nonetheless. She sat by him, eyes wide as he _shook, _lifting his phone to her eyes.

"Your dad was all over the news . . . I had known before, but . . . I didn't want to believe."

Bella had to cover her mouth to keep from screaming. She looked at the grainy picture on Jacob's phone, but she knew it was her.

_Jessica._

Naked underneath a ground of nut shells and brown leaves. Her bright blonde hair was spread out behind her head, like some kind of deathly halo. Jacob coughed, and slid his finger across the screen of his phone, and Bella gasped as she viewed the next image. It was a close up of her neck, and she saw two very visible holes, small dribbles of blood traveling from them.

"Oh my god . . ." She gasped, moving away from Jacob. He looked away from her, shamed.

"Bella, if I had been there . . . I would have . . ."

"You what? You would've been killed too. Jesus Christ, Jacob. This shit is _real. _Why . . . Why did you never . . ."

Jacob gave her a sad, rueful grin.

"Tell you? Because you wouldn't _believe." _

"Is this it then? Did you show this to me just to make me _believe?" _

Jacob looked hurt, his glasses causing her to focus on the dark brown pupils that hid behind the glass shield.

"No, Bella. I would never hurt you like that. I . . . my village elders . . . they know about what we did, with the investigations. They want to meet you, but they wanted my confirmation that the woman was indeed of kin . . . with you."

Bella drew her arms across her small chest. She wore a thick black hoodie, but she still felt cold.

"Is Ezra here?"

"He's downstairs." Jacob said quietly. Bella looked up to her white ceiling.

_This is real. But that's impossible. This can't be real. _

"When . . . when do they want to meet me?" She asked.

Jacob's glasses flashed, reflecting the light of her room as he stood.

"Right now, if you're able."


	7. Chapter 7

Bella watched the dark road as it quickly sped underneath Jacob's car. Ezra sat behind her, kicking her seat as she visualized Jessica's body on the ground, puncture wounds at her neck.

_It could be anything. Some prank. Maybe this is all some type of joke. This can't be real. _

_It just can't. _

The car drove through winding twists and turns, trademark features of the roads here in Forks. Soon, the suburban look dissipated into the night, being replaced with an almost primordial-looking forest and farmland, the full moon lighting the vegetation, giving them edges similar to swords. There were no clouds tonight, and the stars shone brightly above Jacob's truck, and as Bella leaned out of the window to look at them, she almost forgot where she was. She was in a dream world, and she would wake up and none of this would have happened.

_Vampires aren't real. _

But as Jacob's car slowed down, the wheels crushing gravel underneath them as he grinded to a halt. Before them, a tan collection of houses were gathered in a fenced off area, and a large sign that read

"Quileute Reservation" stood at the front of the settlement. As Jacob opened his door, the smell of farm animals hit Bella's nose, the tribe-owned pigs, sheep, and cows that kept them feed, and allowed them to make money off of the food and products they sold.

_Animals that were fed on by Vampires. _

Bella raised the hood of her sweater over her head, and Ezra came up by her as Jacob lead the way into the reservation. She felt as if she shrunk underneath the gaze of the moon, and she realized she was shaking.

_I'm scared. Shit, why am I so scared?  
_

Native Americans smoked on porches, tiny wooden structures that jutted from square-shaped houses. She saw some women rocking in chairs, cradling babies and singing beautifully to themselves, filling the night with an almost calming murmur. The sidewalks were cracked and roots pushed themselves underneath the cement, and Bella had to watch her step to make sure she didn't trip. Ezra almost lost his footing once, and Bella had caught him, and he grinned thankfully at her as Jacob came to a large office-like building. A young native American stood at the door, long black hair framing his brown and handsome face.

"This the girl?" He said softly, eyeing Bella with a small smile.

"Yeah." Jacob answered.

The man looked at Ezra with a raised eyebrow.

"Who's he?" He asked.

"Her Brother. He was involved in the investigation." Jacob lied. The man shrugged, and opened the screen door behind him. Bella and her friends followed the tall youth, who wore a leather jacket and slim-fitting jeans. Finger-less gloves warmed the man's palms as he danced an unlit cigar between his deft digits, leading them through a homely-looking office, dimly lit. Finally they arrived at a closed door, but to the right of it there was a large window which gave the looker a view of the room. Inside three old natives sat, one of them a woman. The young man smiled and opened the door.

"Our Elders await you." He said with a smirk. Bella nodded as Jacob brushed past the man, and Ezra shied away from his touch as the young man closed the door, and stood vigil at the doorway.

"Jacob, I am glad you have been able to bring her." An old man with a wizened face said. He had light gray eyes and black hair that was turning white, with a strong and square jaw and workers hands. He had round shoulders and a round stomach, and wore a blue and green bowlers shirt while rings glimmered on his hands. A bead and feather necklace was worn around his neck, and he touched the stone that hung on the center of the jewelry as he spoke.

"You must be Bella. And you are?" He nodded towards Ezra. Before Ezra could answer, Jacob did for him.

"Her Brother, Ezra." Jacob informed quickly. The old man nodded, sighing, leaning backward on his chair. His seat groaned in protest, while the two other elders watched them. The second man was slightly younger, and had whiter skin than the rest of them. He wore a cowboy jacket and a brown shirt, and Bella could see strings that crossed his shoulders, supporting a hat on his back that was hidden from her view. He had blue eyes and sandy blond hair, but his high-cheekbones and strong nose placed him as Native American. The woman looked younger than both of them, perhaps in her mid 40's. She had long dark hair, with slanted eyes and brown pupils. She wore a green dress that favored her slim figure, while she locked her small hands into a cage before her body on the table. She never took her eyes off of Bella.

Finally, the first Elder spoke.

"I am sorry for your loss. No one deserves to lose a parent, especially like that."

Bella swallowed, hard, remembering Jessica's neck and Charlie's tears.

"Jacob tells me you are already educated. He says you know what we face." The blonde native said.

Bella frowned, looking at him.

"I . . . I'm not sure . . . I don't . . . this . . . it can't be real."

The blonde smiled softly, and reached into the breast pocket of his jacket. After a bit of a struggle, he pulled a white and yellow _thing _from it, and spun the object on the table. Bella saw the sharpness of it, saw the shape, and still she did not believe.

"What is that . . . " she gasped.

"A fang. From a Vampire I killed. Long ago." The man said, as the tooth slowly stopped spinning. It sat heavily on the table, and Bella's eyes seemed drawn to it, focusing in on her vision. There was no one else in the room, no one except for her and the fang.

_Vampires. _

"You are in a very dangerous position, girl." The woman said, her voice deep for a woman's.

"The Vampire has targeted a member of your family. As such, it now has memories that once belonged to Jessica, as any Vampire who feeds entirely on a human will gain such information. It may decide to come after you. Or it may not . . ." She trailed off, looking to the first elder.

"Regardless, we will have some of our own watch your home day and night. Jacob has told us of a boy named Edward Cullen, who he believes is the perpetrator. What do you know of him?"

Bella remembered the striking but not quite handsome boy from what seemed like years before.

"Little and less. I . . . he goes fishing, I guess. With a little girl. Maybe it's his sister, I don't really know."

"You saw the incident with the truck. Do you believe Edward used supernatural power to save the girl?" The blonde native questioned.

"I . . . everything happened so fast . . . she was small . . . she said she . . . she said the car passed over her."

The elders exchanged glances. The woman spoke next.

"We believe there is a coven in Forks. No one must know of this, Bella. We have already done away with Jessica's body. They may find the initial place where she was kidnapped, but aside from that, they will not know she was killed by a Vampire."

Bella was slightly relieved by that. Still, she felt her heart rising in her throat.

"We will assign some of our own to watch you, Bella. Our tribe was among the many who endured through the centuries, fighting Vampires and White men alike. You are in safe hands." The blonde touched her arm.

_This is real. I cannot believe it but its real. _


	8. Chapter 8

"Your name, please."

Edward looked down on a shriveled woman who wore a pair of red glasses that rested on the bridge of her sloping nose. Behind him teenagers brushed past, while he held his backpack with one hand, while a binder took up space in his free hand. The woman looked at him past a clear plastic shield, and behind her a school office was found, with secretaries and teachers rushing about, printing off papers and making phone calls.

"I don't understand. My dad came in earlier and-"

"Yes, yes I know. But you see I need your name, because at this point, I don't know who you are." The woman answered. Edward sighed as he put his binder on the counter before him, and then leaned on the wooden protrusion.

"Edward Cullen." He told her, and the woman nodded, pulling out a folder and then looking through various tabs until finally, she pulled a laminated namecard from the tan portfolio.

"Carry this around with you while you're on school grounds. Do you have your schedule?" She questioned. Edward gave her a small smile as he waved his binder at her.

"Okay, good. If you have any questions, feel free to come by and ask." She said dully before turning around.

Edward faced the school. He had been forced to go to high school numerous times, usually when people began to suspect him and his family for being something other than human. And now here he was, again. The ointment he wore to keep the sun from burning his skin felt like a taught plastic bag pulled over his body, and as he walked, students stared at him with passing interest.

School never changed.

The fads, the ideas of what is popular, and anything else of the like went through many iterations as the years passed, but many concepts remained the same. Edward could instantly pick out the popular kids, the loners, and the ones who dwelt somewhere in-between. He opened his binder to look inside at his papers.

First period was French. Of course, Edward already _knew_ French. He could speak dozens of languages: Spanish, German, Portuguese, Russian, and even Latin. But French is the class that was picked for him, a choice gleaned from the fake documents he had given them. As far was Forks High was concerned, he was a straight A student from Massachusetts, ready to start a new life as a tenth grader. He had been fifteen when he was turned all those years ago, and Edward hadn't aged much since then. Vampires _did _age, but the process was slowed down to nearly a halt.

_And there's a Vampire here. Somewhere. _

Rogue Vampires were a dangerous thing. Unallied, they have no qualms in terms of feeding on humans. Many covens did make a habit of feeding on the living, but they did so in a controlled fashion. They rarely fed on people directly- They would find jobs at blood banks, or as doctors or even buy blood from other vampires. It was not uncommon for a Vampire doctor to steal small amounts of blood from his patients, and then sell the precious food source to other covens around the country. But what worried Edward was the fact that the Vampire was forced to feed. Fledgling Vampires like himself were more human than Vampire at that point, and while possessing super-human abilities, they could live off of food, water, and any other substance as easily as the average human. The sun still burned their skin, but they could manage. For a Vampire to be driven to feed and then not even bother to hide the body meant that its own power was starving it.

And such a creature was around. Edward wondered if any of the students passing him were vampires. It was entirely possible- Though he thought it was unlikely. He would have smelt it in the air- vampires carried no scent, and were nearly untraceable save for other vampires and maybe a well-trained werewolf. Edward smiled quietly to himself- Here he was, walking past unassuming teenagers, speaking of werewolves and vampires. The halls were crowded as students conversed in the minutes before class began. Banners representing sports teams hung on the wall above the rows of lockers, Edward inspecting the flag while he went to his own. Unlocking the metal box, he placed his backpack inside, and closed the locker to find a girl standing next to him.

"Hello!" She said happily. The girl had bright blonde hair and brown eyes. She was tall, much taller than Edward, who was short by human _and _vampire standards.

"Hi .. ." Edward said carefully as he held his binder tightly.

"My name is Sally Rosewood, school president. I was told you were a new student."

"I am . . . yeah. Uhm, I've got to get to French . . ." Edward began, and Sally laughed.

"That's fine, I'll walk you." She said. Before Edward could protest, she locked her arm into his, leading him through the school.

"Forks is a nice place. As long as you aren't a jerk, you'll be fine. Do you play any sports?" Sally asked while she towered over him.

"I hate sports." Edward said glumly. He also hated being lead around like a child.

"Well, there are a bunch of clubs that you can join. Video game clubs, book reading . . . anything really. Or you could start your own. I could approve it for you." Sally winked at him, and Edward gave her a thin smile as they stopped in front of the door that lead to the French class room.

"Enjoy your Monday! I'll find you during your break period to see how you're doing." Sally said cheerfully as she waved goodbye, walking off into the sea of students as the bell rang. Edward stared dumbly into the French classroom as kids brushed past him, and was about to walk in himself until he heard a familiar voice.

"_Shit!" _Edward's eyes found the source of the noise, a small Asian boy with straight dark hair and a childish face. The boy from the road. The one with the Indian and the girl.

_Of course they go here. _

The Asian kid ran back into the bowels of the hall, older seniors swearing as he jostled past them. Edward held his head backwards and sighed as he strode into the French classroom.

"You!?"

Edward caught sight of the tall indian teen that had interrogated him on the bridge, when the man had almost run over his sister.

"Students, this is our new friend . . . " A pretty female teacher flashed her eyes at him as she stood from her desk.

"Edward Cullen . . . I'm Edward Cullen."

"Non, Non, Non, Dans ma classe, nous parlons français après la première cloche. comprendre?"

"Oui." Edward glowered. The Teacher looked at him expectantly. Rolling his eyes, Edward continued.

"Je suis Edward Cullen." He finished, flashing a grin at his new teacher while taking a seat as far away from the native American kid, who was still standing.

"Jacob, y at-il un problème?"

Edward smirked when he could feel the conflict rising within Jacob.

"Non, madame Curtis" He said, and Edward heard the boy sit down. Edward could feel the boy glaring daggers into his back, and Edward sighed as they were forced to stand again for the pledge of allegiance.

_Monday. _


	9. Chapter 9

"He's not a Vampire." Bella insisted as Jacob leaned over their lunch table. His dark hair fell over his face, hiding the frenzy in his eyes.

"He is. There is no way you can explain what happened on the bridge . . . now he's here." Jacob turned around in his seat, eying the Cullen boy who sat three tables behind them, eating alone. Ezra nodded eagerly as he took a bite of his sandwich.

"Yeah, kid's a total weirdo. I saw him in the hallway and he looked at me like he was going to _eat_ me or something."

Bella rolled her eyes as she looked past Jacob to regard Edward. He wasn't _handsome, _but there was something unique and foreign about his face. The darkness of his hair, the slight slant of his eyes . . . the paleness of his skin that somehow looked darker than hers. He ate what looked like soup, never glancing up from his bowl.

"He looks like an average kid." Bella said with a shrug of her shoulders. She looked about the entire lunch room then. It was a large square area, filled with rows of long tables that were occupied by numerous students. In the lunch room all of the cliques gathered and ate, gossiping and swearing and laughing while teachers prowled like predatory animals, waiting to break up any type of physical altercation.

"You don't think it's a little odd he shows up here only after we began to suspect him? I'm telling you, this kid isn't _right." _Jacob insisted. Bella allowed herself one more look at Edward. He was small, only a little bigger than Ezra. She found it hard to believe that such a sullen but interesting-looking boy could kill her stepmother. She refused to believe she sat in the same room with her murderer. While the woman brought no joy into her own life, her death affected her family all the same. Her father barely left his room, and her brother sulked about with wet cheeks. The fact that they had not faced any type of closure hurt her the most. She _knew_ what happened to Jessica; but she wouldn't dare tell them.

_Vampires. _

She still refused to truly believe in their existence; but then she would remember the scars on Jessica's neck. Or the teeth the man from Jacob's tribe carried. They were real, and they lurked amongst normal men. Bella rose her eyes towards Edward, this time with critical intent. He _did _seem otherworldly, apart yet at the same time belonging to some strange land. She couldn't even place his nationality. He was obviously white, but there was a tang to his features that eliminated the possibility for him to be completely Anglo-Saxon.

"He spoke fluent French in class." Jacob whispered, leaning forward on his arms.

"Maybe he knows French? Is that so weird?" Bella defended. Ezra scoffed as he unwrapped a chocolate bar.

"Yeah, a tenth grader who knows French and isn't from Paris or whatever. I don't buy it." He finished his statement with a _chomp _that caused half of his snack to vanish in his mouth.

" I'm going to talk to him." Bella said abruptly. She rose with a start, ignoring Jacob's protests as she walked behind him and towards Edward. Cullen looked up as she approached, looked down, and then looked up again as she sat down across from him.

"Hi." She started.

_Well, so far so good. _

"Come to gape at the new kid? At least you have the balls to sit right next to me, regardless of how creepy it is." Edward spooned soup into his mouth, and then rose from the table.

"Wait, I just want to talk to you!" Bella began as she stood up with him. Edward passed by the trash, throwing his finished lunch inside.

"I'm not really in the mood for . . . one of _these." _ He made his two hands into puppets, making them speak to each other with flapping fingers. Bella laughed softly at that.

"So you're funny. What else?" Bella asked, folding her arms. Edward regarded her for a moment, taking her in. She felt his eyes invade her privacy, but she let him look her over.

"You box." He said finally. Bella widened her eyes in surprise.

"You can tell?" She asked as Edward nodded.

"Your legs and shoulders are very well developed. Your arms, too. You're strong, for a girl." He shrugged, picking black bangs out of his eyes.

_A compliment. That's something. _

"You have a good eye." She gave him a sideways glance.

"Yeah. Your friends are trying to tell you to go back to their table, by the way." Edward pointed, and Bella turned around to see Ezra waving his hands, standing on the bench as Jacob frowned at her. Just then, a senior boy walked past Ezra and shoved him from his perch. The small boy went flying into the ground as the lunch room exploded into laughter.

"Ezra!" Bella cried as she ran towards him. Jacob stood up from his seat as the senior boy turned around.

"Stupid kids these days." The boy said, putting his hands up defensively. He had light brown hair and cruel blue eyes. He wore a varsity jacket over a tight polo that showed off his muscles, no doubt gained from years of training.

"What the hell is your problem? We don't even know you." Bella shouted as she slid to a stop to help Ezra up. His nose was bleeding. She looked around to find a teacher, but the ones on duty were engrossed in something one of the lunch women was saying.

The senior boy guffawed rudely as his cronies gathered behind him.

"Do you want one too, bitch?" He kneeled over to her.

"Maybe I could pound that ass first. You'd like that, wouldn't you?" He sneered.

"Shut up, asshole." Bella hissed as she helped Ezra up.

"Don't talk to her like that." Jacob stepped between them. The boy chuckled softly.

" You should stop worrying about that girl and think about what you're gonna wear to the tribal raindance, redboy." The senior pushed Jacob backwards.

"Ah, the typical school bully."

Edward's voice caught the attention of the growing crowd. He sat on Bella's table, eating an apple that had belonged to Ezra. He tossed it away, missing the trashcan but jumping from the table nonetheless.

" You want to get destroyed too, new kid?" The senior threatened. One of his friends goaded him on.

"Jake don't even talk to that kid! Kick his ass!"

Jake the senior smiled as he rushed at Edward, fist primed to connect with Edward's face. Edward smiled, jumped into the air, and kicked Jake dead in the chest. The senior went flying backwards until he hit one of the rectangular pillars that stretched from the floor all the way to the ceiling. Jake's friends fell backward as Edward brushed hair out of his eyes, a smile on his face.

"I saw that coming a mile away. You brutes are so easy to read." He said. Edward went back to Bella and Ezra, helping her get Ezra on his feet.

"You guys okay?" He asked. Bella nodded gratefully. She still saw that first kick, saw how Jake went flying . . .

"We're _fine." _Jacob loomed over them all as Edward jumped to his full height.

"Whatever." He began to walk out of the lunch room as the crowd parted for him, people whispering in his wake.

"What happened here? What has happened?!" One of the teachers came rushing over as another tended to Jake.

"The new kid Chuck Norris'd Jake." A boy from the crowd said as laughter followed.

"Chuck Norris'd..? Someone get that boy. He's in a lot of trouble." The teacher frowned, placing her hands on a wide waist.

Bella brought Ezra up to her, holding a tissue to his nose.

"He needs to go to the nurse." She explained. The teacher nodded absent-mindedly.

As Bella carried a wounded Ezra down the halls, she couldn't hide her growing smile.

_That was the coolest thing I've seen in a while. Mondays aren't so bad, after all. _


End file.
